Christa Pike was scheduled to be executed on a Wednesday in the state of Tennessee. The execution did not take place because the attempt failed. Legal experts had already described the case as contentious before the scheduled date. The failure marks the second botched execution attempt in Tennessee within a few months. Observers and advocacy groups have criticised the state's handling of the execution protocol. The incident has reignited debate over the death penalty and the methods used in the United States. Tennessee officials have faced increasing pressure to review and possibly reform their execution procedures.